I first created this site back in 1998 to document the wild plants that I encountered. But it has grown into a clearinghouse of information on landscaping, backyard birds, butterfly gardening, plant identification and making paper from plant fiber. After leaving Kansas, I thought of deleting the site. But realize it has a wealth of information that people rely upon.
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Gardens & Wildlife > Insects
Yard Insects
Photo Gallery
All of these photos are of various insects other than butterflies that have been attracted to my yard. Using native plants is the best way to attract beneficial native insects. Planting a variety of different plants from different plant families will create a diverse habitat for wildlife.
Amorpha Borer (Megacyllene decora) http://bugguide.net/node/view/29439
large black ant https://bugguide.net/node/view/28744
Anthophila (Apoidea) bee, http://bugguide.net/node/view/8267
anthophila bee on rattlesnake master, http://bugguide.net/node/view/8267
very small bee at clammy weed
gorgeous bee fly https://bugguide.net/node/view/40602
bee fly on snow on the mountain
bee fly on snow on the mountain
bee with white abdomen on monarda
goldenrod soldier beetle https://bugguide.net/node/view/438
immature blue fronted dancer damselfly on rattlesnake master, http://bugguide.net/node/view/2642
bumble bee on Pitcher's clematis, http://bugguide.net/node/view/8267
bumble bee on Sullivant's milkweed, http://bugguide.net/node/view/3077
Female Carolina mantis (Stagmomantis carolina) http://bugguide.net/node/view/4821
black carpenter bee on american bellflower, http://bugguide.net/node/view/262
Carpenter bee at beebalm, http://bugguide.net/node/view/262
common green bottle fly https://bugguide.net/node/view/53775
common whitetail dragonfly https://bugguide.net/node/view/603
common whitetail dragonfly (male) https://bugguide.net/node/view/603
male Eastern Cicada Killer (Sphecius speciosus) http://bugguide.net/node/view/514
male Eastern Cicada Killer (Sphecius speciosus) http://bugguide.net/node/view/514
female eastern forktail damselfly on beebalm https://bugguide.net/node/view/4983
eastern yellow jacket wasp https://bugguide.net/node/view/11564
flatid planthopper, http://bugguide.net/node/view/104
flatid planthopper, http://bugguide.net/node/view/104
fly
Fragile Forktail Damselfly https://bugguide.net/node/view/604
Great black digger wasp on mountain mint, http://bugguide.net/node/view/5530
Great black digger wasp on mountain mint, http://bugguide.net/node/view/5530
Great black digger wasp, http://bugguide.net/node/view/5530
great black digger wasp on rattlesnake master
great black digger wasp on clammyweed
Great Golden Digger Wasp on rattlesnake master https://bugguide.net/node/view/414
Great golden digger wasp on rattlesnake master, http://bugguide.net/node/view/414
Ivory marked beetle (Eburia quadrigeminata) http://bugguide.net/node/view/45164
Japanese beetle, alien pest, http://bugguide.net/node/view/473
katydid, http://bugguide.net/node/view/164
katydid, http://bugguide.net/node/view/164
large milkweed bug on butterfly milkweed, http://bugguide.net/node/view/504
leafcutter bee on butterfly milkweed, http://bugguide.net/node/view/7751
leafcutter bee work on tick clover
leafcutter bee work on tickclover (Desmodium), I wonder if they prefer the sticky desmodium leaves, as no other plants were cut.
Megachile (leaf cutting and resin bees) http://bugguide.net/node/view/7751 on rattlesnake master
leaf cutting bee work on paw pa
Leaf-footed bug http://bugguide.net/node/view/93
leaf miner work
leaf skeletonizing beetle on prickly ash, http://bugguide.net/node/view/127900
longlegged fly sunning itself on climbing milkweed leaf, http://bugguide.net/node/view/529075
Longhorn beetle
Longhorn beetle https://bugguide.net/node/view/168847
milkweed bugs on swamp milkweed pod
obscure bird grasshopper (Schistocerca obscura) http://bugguide.net/node/view/5009
oleander aphids on milkweed vine https://bugguide.net/node/view/6167
Oleander aphids on climbing milkweed
Paper wasp (Polistes metricus) http://bugguide.net/node/view/60264
picture winged fly on common milkweed, http://bugguide.net/node/view/5918/bgpage
Potter and Mason Wasp http://bugguide.net/node/view/249
Potter and Mason Wasp http://bugguide.net/node/view/249
red banded leafhopper https://bugguide.net/node/view/518
red milkweed beetle on common milkweed, http://bugguide.net/node/view/2966
Robber fly, http://bugguide.net/node/view/151
Sand wasp on rattlesnake master, http://bugguide.net/node/view/6140
small bee on milkweed
sweat bee on beebalm, http://bugguide.net/node/view/128
Syrphid fly larva eating aphids on butterfly milkweed pod
Syrphid maggot (upper left) dining on Oleander aphids dining on common milkweed
thread-waisted wasp on rattlesnake master, http://bugguide.net/node/view/2939
tomentose burying beetle (was found under dead shrew) https://bugguide.net/node/view/28744
twolined spittlebug, http://bugguide.net/node/view/517
two spotted longhorn bee, Melissodes bimaculata http://bugguide.net/node/view/69274 on american bellflower
umbrella paper wasp https://bugguide.net/node/view/2016760
widow skimmer dragonfly on carex, http://bugguide.net/node/view/342795DISCLAIMER: This page contains affiliate links in the right hand panel, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. This helps support my website and allows me to continue to add new content. Thank you for the support!